Live data from Hacker News

My ADHD founder toolbox

hypatia.ca

341–350 of 413 posts

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#341
post #334

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Psychology/psychiatry has a dark past and seems to change its mind on things very often (often because of political correctness). Borderline a pseudoscience. Until there's a blood test or concrete psychological proof, its just simply not a disease. These articles were great reads on this phenomenon of self diagnosis: https://unherd.com/2022/11/who-decides-if-youre-mentally-ill... https://mentalhellth.xyz/p/the-buzzfe…

> Until there's a blood test or concrete psychological proof, its just simply not a disease Again, you versus the entire medical community. I am saddened to see you making such strong claims from a position of such ignorance. You're talking about self-diagnosis, and I'm talking about medical professional diagnosing the disease.

My claims are from a position of experience - myself, seeing friends/family all diagnosed with disorders out of nowhere, seemingly around the same time. Seeing colleagues and peers suddenly "neurodivergent". Looking for temporary solutions to permanent problems in the form of a pill. Using these substances to lose weight, get ahead at work, study, clean their homes, become more social/personable, etc. I digress, adults can calculate the risks for themselves.

If you take a peek at those articles, you'll notice that there's a big trend in people (usually young adults/teens) self diagnosing on the internet, whether its joining a forum/reddit/discord, then going to a doctor, saying, "I HAVE X" and more often than not, they get what they want. This takes away a good chunk of credibility of the 'medical community'. You can even get "diagnosed" via telehealth services now. No need to go into an office! How many people are they turning away? Hmm.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#342

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fist bump! So I'm like this just not as 'successful' AND I haven't gone medicated as I'm on the cusp. Although, I've been putting something off for a while....;) 'The thing that's most beneficial is a bit unseen, I'm not carrying a burden of self-loathing, fear, anxiety on my back, all stressors that were a result of my inability to entirely control my focus and do the thing that I wanted to do when I wanted to. That…

> I am currently in the mindset that I don't get to choose what I do. I either do it, or I don't and that has forced me down a route to where I find myself. Which has really worked out. But only because I caught myself and that those knife edge moments went the right way. The problem that I found as I got older is there's substantially less room for just going with the flow. It worked great for years. Now I have peop…

I’m 46 and a fully fledged animal

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#343

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One, I do not beleive you. Two, If you did, how much did you take? And what type? Pyridoxine or Pyridoxal-Phosphate? For how long? Were you tested for a B6 defieicny, high homocysteine? Three, it is in NO WAY common for deficiencies to be tested for mood disorders and even less common for a doctor nevermind a psychiatrist to do anything about it. And calling me an asshole when I am advocating for better health is mak…

> One, I do not beleive you. That makes you an asshole. > Three, it is in NO WAY common for deficiencies to be tested for mood disorders and even less common for a doctor nevermind a psychiatrist to do anything about it. Why do you believe this? It is easy and cheap to do a blood test for deficiencies, I have done that many time and they found I lacked nothing. Do you have any evidence it isn't common to check for de…

> Why do you believe this?

Because I have worked with health care professionals for 20 years and they do not test for nutritional deficiencies unless you ask/beg them to. This is even more true with psychiatrists. I am advocating right now for a woman with a serum B6 deficiency that her doctor will not address. She has an actual serum B6 deficiency and anemia and depression and her dopctor thinks it is not importnat. That is why.

> It is easy and cheap to do a blood test for deficiencies, I have done that many time and they found I lacked nothing.

There are deficiencies and functional deficiencies. Plus there is serum B6 and RBC B6. Have you had your RBC B6 tested? Nope.

And Homocysteine levels will reveal more than serum B6.

And I do not believe you because you did not answer "how much did you take? And what type? Pyridoxine or Pyridoxal-Phosphate? For how long? Were you tested for a B6 defieicny, high homocysteine?"

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I am currently in the mindset that I don't get to choose what I do. I either do it, or I don't and that has forced me down a route to where I find myself. Which has really worked out. But only because I caught myself and that those knife edge moments went the right way. The problem that I found as I got older is there's substantially less room for just going with the flow. It worked great for years. Now I have peop…

I’m 46 and a fully fledged animal

And ‘parenting’ and the other things I’ve manage to choose. However, jobs I can’t stand I leave (eventually) One of the concerns over meds is that it would enable you to do those jobs you just don’t (and maybe shouldn’t) do.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#345

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Get you B6 levels tested: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24321736/ Also, it is not about dopamine, it is about glutamate: https://www.brown.edu/news/2018-03-12/glutamate

While glutamate seems to play a significant role, it’s not enough evidence to discount dopamines role. This whole space is in need of more research, we’re not at stage where definitive statements can be made one way or the other.

Sorry, I should have wrote Also, it is not about fundamentally about dopamine, but it is fundamentally about glutamate.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#346

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was diagnosed when I was six, and, like you, I dropped all meds at 17. Recently (as in, this year) through a combination of therapy and introspection, I realized that while indeed I was able to have a successful life, career, relationships without the medication, and that, yes, my coping mechanisms were satisfactory, I was punching myself in the face for no reason Last month I saw a psychiatrist and got a prescript…

I'm glad the meds have helped you, and I hope other people try them too if they think they need help.

In many cases you just can't get them. My psych basically told me to just give up my career.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#347

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One, I do not beleive you. That makes you an asshole. > Three, it is in NO WAY common for deficiencies to be tested for mood disorders and even less common for a doctor nevermind a psychiatrist to do anything about it. Why do you believe this? It is easy and cheap to do a blood test for deficiencies, I have done that many time and they found I lacked nothing. Do you have any evidence it isn't common to check for de…

> Why do you believe this? Because I have worked with health care professionals for 20 years and they do not test for nutritional deficiencies unless you ask/beg them to. This is even more true with psychiatrists. I am advocating right now for a woman with a serum B6 deficiency that her doctor will not address. She has an actual serum B6 deficiency and anemia and depression and her dopctor thinks it is not importnat.…

The pills says just vitamin B6, 1.4mg, more than a year. For zinc I eat way more than I need since I eat mostly vegetarian and legumes contains plenty of it.

Then reason you are an asshole is that you are asking questions that takes a lot of work to answer since most wont know the answer to them on the spot. That is a very common tactic when you try to push your pet theory on others, but you should know that nobody thinks you won the argument when you do that they will just see you as an asshole. Even if you are doing it to be nice, you will be seen as an asshole, so please stop doing that.

Edit: Another part of the label says its this, didn't notice it at first:

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Pyridoxine-hydroch...

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#348
post #335

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The active form of B6 is the enzyme cofactor used by AADC: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromatic_L-amino_acid_decarbox... AADC is an enzyme in the path that converts amino acids into dopamine and PEA/NMPEA (see "biosynthetic pathways" in above link), the latter of which is an endogenous structural isomer of amphetamine. You're not really making a strong case that this isn't about dopamine or that amphetamine is the…

P5P is also the cofactor for GAD1 an GAD2: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q99259/entry https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340492849_The_Gluta... I did not say it is not about dopamine, but it is, at a deeper level, about glutamate. Which is why coffee works so well for ADHD because the stimulant action from caffeine is produced by glutamate. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7700297/ https://www.n…

> Which is why coffee works so well for ADHD because the stimulant action from caffeine is produced by glutamate.

Caffeine also antagonizes adenosine receptors which modulate dopamine. (Caffeine is complicated. Nicotine too.)

> Regardless, here is so much evidence that B6 plays a large role in ADHD and what, you all just ignore it?

The problem is it's the same kind of thing as saying that eating more reduces nutrient deficiencies. It might be more effective than placebo. If you're deficient in one thing and you get more of everything, you get more of that. It might even be the right solution if your underlying problem is actually that you're not eating enough.

But you want the solution that solves the problem as effectively and as narrowly as possible. Unless your underlying problem is actually a B6 deficiency, it's completely plausible that B6 could be more effective than placebo and less effective than Adderall. At which point nobody wants to hear you telling them to give up their Adderall for B6.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#349
post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was diagnosed when I was six, and, like you, I dropped all meds at 17. Recently (as in, this year) through a combination of therapy and introspection, I realized that while indeed I was able to have a successful life, career, relationships without the medication, and that, yes, my coping mechanisms were satisfactory, I was punching myself in the face for no reason Last month I saw a psychiatrist and got a prescript…

I know exactly how you feel, but I there is a bigger question: how well do these medications do in the medium term (counted in months)? I have read people testify how the initial boost evaporates, and when things come back to normal, they have to either continue the drug for not much benefit or face withdrawal. Edit: to clarify, I'm not telling anyone not to try medication. Everyone's response will be different. Just…

I take methylphenidate slow release, and have for several years now. If I take an extended holiday, the first ~week back definitely feels like there is a stronger effect, but days when I take it vs don't are very noticeable in how difficult my day is. People in my personal life can call it out when I am unmedicated, my sleep is worse, chores don't get done, I waste more time at work, I go more crazy at social events and so on.

I really hope it keeps working in the longer term because it's been life changing so far.

Re: My ADHD founder toolbox

#350

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why do you believe this? Because I have worked with health care professionals for 20 years and they do not test for nutritional deficiencies unless you ask/beg them to. This is even more true with psychiatrists. I am advocating right now for a woman with a serum B6 deficiency that her doctor will not address. She has an actual serum B6 deficiency and anemia and depression and her dopctor thinks it is not importnat.…

The pills says just vitamin B6, 1.4mg, more than a year. For zinc I eat way more than I need since I eat mostly vegetarian and legumes contains plenty of it. Then reason you are an asshole is that you are asking questions that takes a lot of work to answer since most wont know the answer to them on the spot. That is a very common tactic when you try to push your pet theory on others, but you should know that nobody t…

THANK YOU for answering. See, this is what I mean. 1.4mg? That is nothing. The dose that use in testing are 50 to 100mg. And you should be taking P5P.

People I know take 30 - 60mg of P5P to feel the effects.

You were not taking high dose B6, just the RDA, and that will not do anything. And it will not correct a deficiency.

You think it takes a lot of work to answer? What about all the work I do looking into this and asking? For who? For you. Instead of calling me an asshole understand that I am helping you, for free, unlike your doctors.

So you cannot say taking B6 did not work for you.

Post reply on HN